Using Tap to Pay with ORCA FAQs

Tap to Pay Overview

What is Tap to Pay?

Tap to Pay, or contactless payments, are the method by which ORCA card readers accept taps from physical credit or debit cards, as well as digital cards in Android and Apple phone wallets or smart devices. Most participating ORCA transit agencies around Puget Sound now accept Tap to Pay.

Which credit or debit cards are accepted? How can I tell if my card is accepted?

ORCA card readers accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover Network, and American Express physical and digital credit or debit cards. You can use digital cards stored in digital wallets with Apple Pay™, Google Pay™, and Samsung Pay™. Be sure to add your credit or debit card to your smart device wallet prior to tapping. Learn how to add a credit or debit card to your digital wallet with Apple, Google, or Samsung.

To pay with a physical credit or debit card, the card must have the following contactless payment symbol printed on it

If you see this symbol, it typically means that the card can be used to tap and pay your transit fare on an ORCA card reader. Prepaid debit cards may have certain exceptions.

If you are having issues paying with Visa, Mastercard, Discover Network, or American Express cards issued by non-US-based banks, please contact your bank to learn more about their specific policies.

NOTE: Riders are charged a full, adult ORCA fare when paying with a credit or debit card, and each rider needs their own credit card, debit card, or digital wallet to pay.

Which modes of transit accept Tap to Pay?

Credit or debit cards are accepted on most forms of transit operated by the following transit agencies:

Community Transit
Everett Transit
King County Metro
Pierce Transit
Kitsap Transit
Sound Transit

You can tap a credit or debit card to ride the following modes of transit:

Bus and bus rapid transit
Link light rail
Sounder train
Seattle Streetcar
King County Water Taxi
Kitsap Transit Fast Ferries

Credit or debit card payments are not accepted on Washington State Ferries, Seattle Monorail, King Country Metro Access, King Country Metro Vanpool, King County Metro DART, Metro Flex, Community Transit DART, Community Transit Zip Shuttle, Everett Paratransit, and Pierce Transit Runner.

NOTE: Although Seattle Monorail may accept contactless payments in the future, you will not receive ORCA transfer benefits when you tap a credit or debit card.

Paying for Transit with Tap to Pay

How do transfers work with Tap to Pay?

Tap the same contactless credit or debit card each time you ride to receive the same two-hour, transfer benefit you experience with ORCA cards. Transfers only work between transit services which accept Tap to Pay and transfer benefits.

Can I use Tap to Pay if I qualify for ORCA LIFT, Senior or Disabled RRFP, or Youth fares?

Tap to Pay customers are charged a full, adult fare. You cannot use a credit or debit card to pay a reduced fare. If you qualify for discounted fares and wish to continue paying discounted fares, you must continue to use your assigned ORCA card.

I have an ORCA card that I got through my employer, my school, or another organization. Can I start tapping a credit or debit card instead and still have fares covered?

No, there is no way to pay with a credit or debit card if an organization has only provided you with an ORCA card. If you wish to receive transit benefits from your employer, your school, or another organization, you must continue to tap your assigned ORCA card. See the Troubleshooting Questions section below to learn more about what to do if your organization gave you a business credit or debit card instead of an ORCA card.

How do I use a physical or digital credit or debit card to pay for transit?

Using a physical card:

On buses, you can tap a physical credit or debit card on the ORCA card reader upon boarding, or before boarding when available.
On Link light rail and Seattle streetcar, you can tap a physical credit or debit card on ORCA card readers before boarding.
On Sounder trains, you can tap a physical credit or debit card once at the ORCA card reader before boarding and again at your destination to ensure the correct fare is calculated. Sounder train fares are distance based, and you must tap off at your final destination with the same debit or credit card you tapped on with to ensure you pay an accurate fare.

Using a digital card:

With Apple Express mode, Apple users can tap to pay if their smart device is locked or unlocked. Android users can enable “skip verification for transit” and tap to pay using Google Pay without needing to wake up their screens.

On buses, you can tap a phone or smart device with a credit or debit card loaded into Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet, or Apple Wallet on the ORCA card reader upon boarding.
On Link light rail and Seattle streetcar, you can tap a phone with a credit or debit card loaded into Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet, or Apple Wallet on ORCA card readers before boarding.
On Sounder trains, you can tap a phone with a credit or debit card loaded into Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet, or Apple Wallet once at the ORCA card reader before boarding and again at your destination to ensure the correct fare is calculated. Sounder train fares are distance based, and you must tap off at your final destination with the same credit card you tapped on with to ensure you pay an accurate fare.

What if I have both my ORCA card and a credit or debit card in Google Wallet?

If you have a digital ORCA card in Google Wallet as well as a digital credit card, the ORCA card reader should default to charging your digital ORCA card when tapping a phone. If you have a digital ORCA card and multiple digital credit cards in Google Wallet, the card reader may display an error message. To use a credit card instead of an ORCA card in Google Wallet, you must unlock the phone and open the Google Wallet app to the correct card before tapping.

Can I tap the same credit or debit card to pay for more than one person?

No, each rider needs their own credit or debit card to pay. Tap to Pay charges a single, full, adult ORCA fare. Contactless credit or debit cards cannot be used to pay fares for a group of riders.

Using Apple Pay

Can I pay for transit with Apple Pay on both iPhone and Apple Watch?

Yes, but you can’t use your iPhone and Apple Watch interchangeably. Remember to use the same device to tap on and off when paying with Apple Pay.

Can I use Express Mode to pay for transit across Puget Sound, and what devices support Express Mode with Apple Pay?

Yes, you can use your Express Mode enabled credit or debit card to quickly pay for your transit trip around Puget Sound. To use a credit or debit card, you will need an iPhone SE, iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus, or later, with iOS 12.3 or later, or Apple Watch Series 1 or Series 2, or later, with watchOS 5.2.1 or later.

How do I enable Express Mode?

Go to Apple Wallet and select your credit or debit card. Then tap on the circle in the upper right-hand corner and choose “Card Details.” Scroll down to “Express Transit” and check whether Express Mode is on or off. To turn on Express, tap “Express Transit Settings” and follow the prompts to authenticate.

Only one payment card can be enabled for Express at a time.

What happens if my physical cards and devices are accidentally charged at the same time?

Only one card will ever be charged at a time. To ensure that only your chosen payment method is charged, always keep your physical cards separate from your Apple devices when paying for transit using Express Mode.

Can I tap when my iPhone needs to be charged?

You may be able to use your Express Mode enabled card on your iPhone even when your device needs to be charged. With a compatible iPhone, you may be able to use power reserve to make an Express transaction for up to five hours when your iPhone needs to be charged. Learn more here.

How can I avoid accidental charges while riding transit in the Puget Sound/Seattle region?

When riding transit with your iPhone or Apple Watch in Seattle, always keep your physical cards separate from your Apple devices when paying for transit using Express Mode. Please also avoid leaning on or standing directly in front of transit readers on buses or trams.

Fare Inspection with Credit or Debit Cards

What do I do during fare inspection if I use a credit or debit card?

If a fare inspector approaches you during your trip, let them know that you paid using a credit or debit card. They will ask you to provide the last four digits of the credit or debit card you tapped to pay the fare. The last four digits of a credit card number are not unique to your card and allow fare inspectors to review transaction history without having access to sensitive information.

You can provide the last four digits of the card by:

Reading them to the fare inspector
Covering the first 12 digits of your card number with your finger and showing fare inspectors only the last four digits

This information will be used to verify that your fare was paid. When sharing fare verification information, be sure to only share necessary information.

Fare inspectors may need the first six digits of your card if another rider has a card with the same last four digits, but they will never ask for your full card number. Fare inspectors will also never physically take your card from you during fare inspection, please be sure to keep your card with you at all times. Fare inspectors will always wear agency-issued identification and uniforms. They are transit employees trained to securely manage payment information.

I paid my fare using Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay. How do I find the information I need to provide for fare inspection?

For Apple Pay:

Open the Apple Wallet app on your device and click on the digital credit or debit card you used to pay.
Click on the card symbol ( ) in the upper right corner to see more (this may vary based on your operating system) and locate the four digits next to your “Apple Pay” number.

For Google Pay:

Open the Google Wallet app on your device and click on the digital credit or debit card you used to pay; you may have to swipe left or right to find the card.
At the top, click More () and view the last four digits of the “Virtual Card Number.”

For Samsung Pay:

Open the Samsung Wallet app on your device and tap the “All” tab, and then tap “Payment cards.”
Click on the credit or debit card you used to pay, and from here, you can view your "Virtual Card Number.”

When using a credit or debit card in a digital wallet, you will only need to provide the last four digits of your card during fare inspection.

Payment History with Contactless Payments

How can I check my transaction or payment history?

You can see all ORCA transactions on your bank statement. If you would like to see a more detailed view of your trip history, visit myorca.com/contactless-history. You can then download your history as a PDF or CSV file.

There are two ways to look up your transaction or payment history:

Using a bank statement code which can be found on your bank statement. The code is typically seven or eight characters following the phrase “ORCA.”
Using the first six and last four digits of the credit or debit card you used to pay. If you used a digital credit or debit card in Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, or Samsung Wallet to pay for transit, you will not be able to see the first six digits of your card and will need to search using a bank statement code instead.

Troubleshooting Questions

Why is my card being denied when I tap to pay?

An ORCA card reader may say your payment method is denied when you try to tap to pay if your credit or debit card is blocked, or if it does not have enough funds on it. There are a few ways to fix this issue:

The card will automatically attempt to collect the unpaid fare periodically, but the form of payment you initially tapped will be added to the deny list, and any future taps will be denied until the unpaid fare is collected. Once payment is made, you will see a charge on your bank statement showing the date when the fare was collected, which may not be the date you rode transit.
If you initially had insufficient funds available to cover your fare, but you add funds to your debit or credit card after riding, you can tap it on your next ride to resolve the issue. You will be charged the unpaid fare from the earlier trip, plus the fare for your current trip. NOTE: The ORCA card reader may still say your card is denied when you tap it to resolve the issue. You should wait about five seconds before tapping the card again. A green checkmark on the card reader signals that your current fare was paid, and the card is no longer on the deny list.

Why is my prepaid debit card being declined?

To use a prepaid debit card on transit, it must have the contactless symbol printed on the front or back of the card. It must also support transit transactions, and not all prepaid debit cards do. If your card has a contactless symbol but is still declining at ORCA card readers, you may not be able to use it to pay for transit.

Why was a credit or debit card charged instead of my ORCA card?

This likely happened because the card reader detected a card you did not mean to use when you tapped to pay. To avoid charging the wrong card, you should always take your ORCA card out of your wallet before tapping. Do not tap your entire wallet, purse, or bag on the card reader. If you have a card holder/wallet attached to the back of your phone, do not tap the entire phone plus the wallet. You should remove the ORCA card from the card holder before tapping. Make sure to keep active devices, like smartphones and smartwatches, away from ORCA card readers to avoid unwanted taps.

Why was I double-charged?

ORCA Tap to Pay does not double-charge riders when tapping, but there is the possibility of unintended charges when tapping to pay. Unintentional taps could happen if someone has an active device, like a smartphone or watch, that gets too close to the ORCA card reader and is then charged, which can cause a rider to be “double” charged if they also tapped an ORCA card or other device. As this is a new capability, we recommend riders be aware of active devices, specifically mobile wallets, getting too close to ORCA card readers. Digital wallet settings may help reduce unintentional charges.

Many iPhone users may unknowingly have Apple Express enabled on their mobile wallets, which does not require Face ID or a password to be entered before a card is charged. Android users may have “enable verification for transit” turned off on their device, which also does not require verification for transit charges. If someone wishes to only use an ORCA card, these payment settings can be turned off or modified in the device settings.

Can I use Tap to Pay with a credit or debit card that I got through an employer or another organization?

It depends. Many organization-issued cards may be restricted to specific uses, like paying parking costs, and your payment may be denied. Check with the organization that provided your card to confirm if transit payments are allowed. In most circumstances, if an employer, school, or other organization provided you with an ORCA card, you should continue to use that ORCA card.

When should I contact ORCA for help versus contacting my bank?

You should contact your bank directly for issues related to your credit or debit card. If your credit or debit card is lost or stolen and you need assistance blocking your card or handling unexpected charges, please contact your bank.

You should contact ORCA for assistance with accidental taps or general transit fare information.

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